The Really Big Show with Jim Csek &Iain Burns

Former BC Finance Minister Selina Robinson joins Jim Csek and Ian Burns for a candid, in-depth conversation on the state of British Columbia’s economy — and where things may be headed. In this wide-ranging discussion, Robinson reflects on her time delivering budget surpluses and contrasts that with today’s growing deficits, credit downgrades, and rising debt costs. She shares concerns about govern...

Today on The Really Big Show, Jim Csek and Iain Burns tackle a wide range of major national stories, led by a central question: are Canadians about to face a GST hike? The discussion focuses on growing fiscal pressure in Canada, with new reports suggesting that increased defence spending could force the federal government into difficult decisions, including raising taxes. This comes as concerns mo...

In today’s April 1st live show, Jim Csek and Iain Burns break down a series of major political and economic developments shaping Canada — with a central focus on Mark Carney, China, and growing concerns around conflicts of interest. The discussion zeroes in on the controversy surrounding Liberal MP Michael Ma, including his comments questioning evidence of forced labour in China, the reaction from...

While the world enters a "scramble for security," Canada sits on the very resource everyone is desperate for, yet the domestic economy is showing signs of "energy paralysis." According to the latest Statistics Canada data, the economy eked out a meager 0.1% growth in January—and that tiny fraction was driven almost entirely by the 1.2% rebound in the oil and gas extraction sect...

The imagery of the last 48 hours perfectly encapsulates this divide. In Hamilton, Prime Minister Mark Carney was seen rubbing shoulders with music royalty at the Juno Awards, where legendary songwriter Joni Mitchell accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award and publicly anointed Carney a "blessing" for the country. However, miles away from the orange carpet, the reality for average Canadians...

While the Prime Minister touts hitting the NATO 2% defense target early, the victory is being overshadowed by allegations of "creative accounting"—folding non-military bureaucracies into the $60B defense spend to meet the goal without actual military enhancement. This occurs against a backdrop of $2.6 trillion in household debt, with Gen Z and Millennials now holding nearly half of that...

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The headline story this week is the total collapse of integrity within the International Student Program. A devastating Auditor General report has confirmed that the system is not just flawed—it is being treated with "indifference" by those in charge. With 150,000 high-risk cases left uninvestigated and 92% of known fraudsters later being granted legal status, the message to the world is...

A scathing 2026 report from the Auditor General has pulled back the curtain on a system defined by "indifference." The audit reveals that the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has effectively lost track of its own mandates, allowing a culture of fraud to take root in the international student program. With 710 out of 800 closely examined students found to be using fraud...

For decades, the "first job" was a rite of passage for Canadian youth—a way to build a resume and save for tuition. Today, that path is increasingly blocked. New data from the immigration department (IRCC) confirms what many families have felt: the unprecedented surge in foreign students and temporary workers has directly worsened the youth labor market, displacing domestic students from...

The current headlines reveal a country fractured by its own geography and policy. While Saskatchewan powers ahead as a rare economic engine—fueled by a massive $60B project surge and Canada’s lowest unemployment—the rest of the nation feels increasingly left behind. From the global stage to the kitchen table, the prevailing sentiment is one of being "sidelined." Internationally, Canada i...

After 11 years of shifting policies and economic cycles, Canada finds itself at a historic crossroads where the standard of living no longer aligns with the national "brand." While the country was once a perennial Top 5 contender in global well-being, it has now plummeted to 25th in the Oxford World Happiness Report—its lowest position since records began.

It’s Wednesday, March 18, 2026. As the global economic winter settles in, Canada is now facing a perfect storm, with new data suggesting the country is on a collision course with stagflation—a combination of stagnant growth and high inflation. The central problem, critics argue, is that Ottawa’s regulatory and fiscal policies, far from providing a path out of the crisis, are actually stifling any...

It’s Tuesday, March 17, 2026. While the Prime Minister’s Office continues to push a narrative of global influence and "strategic autonomy," a bombshell report from the Canadian Human Rights Commission has forced a new, darker title into the national conversation. The declaration marks a historic low for the government's economic record. As Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Nordic...

It’s Monday, March 16, 2026, and the contrast between the government's "Sunny Ways" rhetoric and the cold reality of a volatile world has never been sharper. As Mark Carney meets with Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street to discuss the escalating war in the Middle East and the perilous closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Canadians at home are facing an "Economic Winter" that refu...

Has democracy failed in Canada, or is the country being steered toward a managed decline by a political class that values global optics over local stability? Economic winter is upon us as Liberals tout ‘sunny ways,’ yet the data tells a chilling story: a shock loss of 84,000 jobs has sent the unemployment rate soaring to 6.7%, with long-term joblessness now gripping nearly a quarter of the unemplo...

The fallout from MP Lori Idlout’s floor-crossing is reaching a fever pitch this Thursday morning as new polling reveals a staggering 74% of Canadians believe floor-crossers shouldn't be allowed to finish their terms without a by-election. While Mark Carney secures a controversial Beijing pledge that ends surtaxes on Chinese EVs, our own auto exports have cratered to a four-year low—leaving man...

Today’s show tackles a massive shift in the House of Commons as Nunavut MP Lori Idlout crosses the floor to the Liberals, giving the government more leverage just as national security warnings reach a breaking point. From Doug Ford’s "sleeper cell" alerts to explosive testimony from a former CBC host alleging threats over Conservative bookings, the divide between the elites and the commo...

In today’s show we tackle a volatile news cycle that hits close to home as the U.S. Consulate in Toronto is struck by gunfire amidst rising global tensions. While oil prices retreat following Donald Trump’s declaration that the war in Iran is "very complete," Canada remains bogged down by ideological roadblocks and elite-driven scandals. We break down the Liberal attempt to bypass proper...

In our final show of the week, we explore the devastating argument that our leadership is prioritizing the benefit of a few at the expense of the many. From Mark Carney’s controversial stance on CUSMA and the "China Clause" to the dismantle-by-design approach hitting the auto sector under Mélanie Joly and Doug Ford, we ask why a resource-rich nation like Canada continues to travel the wo...

Is Canada sacrificing its economic strength for policies that aren’t delivering results? With energy markets in turmoil around the world, many are asking why a country as resource-rich as Canada still struggles to turn its natural advantages into prosperity. We break down the growing criticism of Net Zero policies, Poilievre’s vision for Canada’s future, and the broader question of why Canadians f...

Midweek and the temperature in Canadian politics just keeps rising. Today’s show tackles the argument that the country’s current direction isn’t just about bad decisions — it’s about a deeper ideological problem. From economic policy and energy strategy to global positioning and media narratives, critics say the system is increasingly benefiting the few while the majority struggles. We break down...

Canada is sitting on what the world desperately needs — and we’re barely using it. With global energy markets in turmoil, uranium surging in Saskatchewan, and geopolitical tensions reshaping supply chains, energy has become the central issue of the decade. The question is whether Ottawa finally understands that — or is still stuck in yesterday’s climate playbook. We break down Carney’s overseas de...

Overnight strikes, leadership taken out, and global powers moving fast — are we now at war with Iran? We break down what happened, how Canada responded, and why Ottawa says it wasn’t informed or asked to help. Carney backs the operation while traveling abroad, and the geopolitical shockwaves are already hitting markets — with gold surging and tensions rising. At home, questions deepen about the mi...

Friday and we’re closing the week with a message that cuts through the noise: America is not our enemy. As trade tensions, media narratives, and political rhetoric heat up, we examine the growing divide between reality and the storyline being sold to Canadians. From Poilievre’s pushback on China, to Carney’s overseas diplomacy, to China suspending canola tariffs, the geopolitics are shifting quick...